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Daily News Digest – May 14, 2018

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1. Larry Lee. Boy, I don’t know.

Longtime education writer Larry Lee’s candidacy for the Montgomery School Board has attracted significant attention from all over the state. It’s weird, especially for a normally quiet local school board race.

But, it’s not the first time Lee has dusted up controversy in a campaign for public office.

During a run for Congress in the 1980s, Larry Lee caused an uproar within the Democratic Primary when he used an offensive racial slur to accuse his opponent of suspicious campaigning.

However, it’s worth mentioning that the staffer in question also worked for the campaigns of Sen. Doug Jones and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. I don’t see a lot of questions or criticism directed toward them.

My question? Why hire the guy to begin with? If you really believe he is a reformed person who needs a second chance, maybe help him find something somewhere else? Big unforced error and it is costing Cobb.

Birmingham minister Scott Dawson has hit the airwaves with his first campaign ad in his campaign for governor.

In a 30 second spot titled “Learning About Faith,” Dawson describes a formative event early in Dawson’s life when his father lost his job, but didn’t lose hope.

You can watch the ad HERE and find it on the updated rundown of all major candidate campaign ads HERE.

3. Campaign update: Part two.

Profile stories

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle gets the profile treatment this week. AP’s Kim Chandler takes a look at Battle’s candidacy for governor, including his economic development success in Huntsville. Her story HERE.

Mobile State Senator Bill Hightower gets profiled by The Montgomery Advertiser’s Brian Lyman. He talks earmarking, term limits, collaboration with the Legislature and other ways he wants to change the governing process in Alabama. Read it HERE.

State Sen. Rusty Glover knows he doesn’t quite have the campaign funds he needs to compete over the airwaves with his opponentsin the race for Lt. Governor.

So, he’s trying to get his message out the old fashioned way by being candid and forthcoming.

Glover lays out his candidacy and why it matters for the role of Lt. Governor HERE.

4. Leaks & leakers.

The government is full of leaks. Always has been.

It’s not all bad. As fictional West Wing Press Secretary CJ Creggsaid, “There is no group of people this large in the world that can keep a secret. I find it comforting. It’s how I know for sure that the government isn’t covering up aliens in New Mexico.”

But leaks – lots of leaks – can make it really hard for an organization to work. That’s what the real life White House Communications Office is going through right now.